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Press Release | Friday, August 06, 2021

Archdiocese of Miami updates COVID-19 policy for Catholic schools

Photographer:

August 6, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
  

MEDIA ALERT


Archdiocese of Miami updates COVID-19 policy for Catholic schools   

Miami... (August 6, 2021) The Archdiocese of Miami has updated its COVID-19 policy for Catholic schools and will conduct a weekly review of the policy and update when indicated.   

In a message to the parents of elementary and high school students, Archbishop Thomas Wenski said, “Vaccinations, masks, social distancing etc., of course are not 100 percent effective but not to attempt to mitigate risks to parishioners and school families would be a failure and of pastoral oversight on my part.”   

Research including sources such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) was conducted to update the policy.  

Complete summary update can be found in the links below:  

Message from Elementary Schools to Parents  

Message from High Schools to Parents  

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The Archdiocese of Miami  

www.miamiarch.org  

Look for our hashtag #MiamiArchNews #MiamiArchCommunications on
Twitter: @CatholicMiami / Facebook: /ArchdioceseofMiami / Instagram: @CatholicMiami  

Media contact: Maria A. Rivas, Media Coordinator, at (305)762-1046 [email protected], or Mary Ross Agosta, Director of Communications, at (305)762-1043 [email protected].  

                  

 

Comments from readers

Ana Rodriguez-Soto - 08/16/2021 11:15 PM
The Diocese of St. Augustine has updated its policy: https://www.dosafl.com/2021/08/12/catholic-school-officials-release-temporary-mask-mandate/ ARelying to DJG: "As students head back to school this week, a temporary policy was rolled out on Monday, August 9, requiring masks to be worn indoors for students, faculty, and staff of Catholic schools." - “Our revised safety protocols have nothing to do with politics but everything to do with the reality we face today,” said Bishop Felipe Estévez of the Diocese of St. Augustine. “Children under the age of 12 and older are contracting the virus and its variants at increasing rates. The vaccine is not available to our younger population, making them especially vulnerable to serious illness and others who come into contact with them,” he said.
DG - 08/16/2021 09:51 PM
Update: Places kids can go without a mask in Miami-Dade County. - Public Schools - Restaurants - Parks - Sporting Events - Summer Camps - Retail Stores - Supermarkets - Famy Get Togethers - Birthday Parties Places kids cannot visit without a mask in Miami-Dade County: - Catholic Church - Catholic School Your welcome...
DJG - 08/16/2021 06:55 PM
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — Masks will now be optional at Catholic schools in the Diocese of St. Augustine this upcoming school year, as the diocese on July 30 scrapped its mask mandate due to a state order. https://www.ncregister.com/cna/st-augustine-diocese-reverses-mask-mandate-at-catholic-schools
Dean Warren - 08/13/2021 11:04 PM
I would like to second this statement. “With cases accelerating among the ages of 12 and under, and the long-term affects of Covid not being fully understood, it is prudent to protect all children from this highly transmissible virus. Until there is on option between vaccines and masks for the younger kids, some type of mask mandate is necessary to ensure the maximum level of safety possible. This plan is rational and fair in its approach.”- Harry Anderson I believe that a core tenant of our Christian faith is to put the needs of others before the wants of ourselves. If my child needs to deal with the mild discomfort of a soft cloth garment on their face for 6 hours a day in order to prevent the potential hospitalization of anyone of the unvaccinated children at their school, then it is an easy and reasonable sacrifice to make. What example are we setting for our children in telling them that their individual comfort and convenience is more important than the safety and life of their neighbor, peer, or teacher. This is not a political issue but a matter of right and wrong. Love thy neighbor.
Trust but Verify Parent - 08/13/2021 07:39 PM
The CDC has lost all credibility. It's an insult our local govt are relying on such bad actors to infringe our God given right to be free people. Do not give your rights away. "Policy" is not law. http://www.renegadetribune.com/cdc-admits-it-massively-overcounted-floridas-covid-cases/ CDC admits it DID overcount Florida's COVID cases: Agency revises down state's weekend numbers from 28,000 to 19,000 but offers no explanation after falsely claiming 'record' infections The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has quietly updated Florida's COVID-19 figures after accusations of overcounting earlier this week.
Laura Leviro - 08/13/2021 05:03 PM
You should follow the science not politicians!!! There’s thousands of studies that prove that masks don’t work, they actually cause more harm than good, you are mandating masks for unvaccinated Children??? The vaccine has NOT, I repeat has NOT been approved, it was authorized for emergency use only. So I will never put my child at risk with an experimental vaccine. Is unlawful that you are mandating masks on our children. I think we the parents should decide if our children wear masks or not!!! This is absurd. The CDC JUST STATED THAT a positive PRC test can’t differentiate if is the flu or sars COVID 2 or a cold, and you want us to test our children weekly?? This is lunacy!!!! We should decide for our children not you, the school or the government . You need to reconsider 🙏🏻 GOD BLESS
Alexsis Machado - 08/13/2021 04:21 PM
Masks are 0% effective for kids , they are consistently contaminating their masks with germs making them more dangerous then effective ! Please give us parents the right to keep our children safe on our terms !! Pleaseeeeeee
Ivonne - 08/13/2021 03:46 AM
If our desks have plexi glass which isn’t even mandated like mentioned above the kids should absolutely not have a mask at their desks! If they take off masks at any point in class to eat they must be able to take it off during their studies. I could understand if kids need a mask to switch classes, walk in halls or large groups of kids in a assembly but not at their desks! While the teacher probably won’t even have a mask because she’s vaccinated? This doesn’t make any sense to me! Let the parents choose for their children now. If masks and social distancing aren’t 100 percent effective why even mandate them in our schools? There’s plenty of schools that have had mask Optional and the cases have not been any higher.
Monica Armengol - 08/12/2021 11:42 AM
As COVID-19 cases rise in healthy minors I am unwilling to gamble on the health of my 3 and 8 year old. I’m extremely grateful ADOM has enforced a mask mandate. Our students have a uniform dress code so students may focus on their education instead of fashion, political affiliations, bullying, etc. The mask mandate should also be uniform. Unmasked children’s bodily fluids will contaminate the surfaces of the classroom. The masked children will touch said surfaces & possibly contaminating themselves making the masks obsolete. This is why all students should be wearing masks; not only those who’s families are already cautions of this virus. As for the psychological trama …. It’s more traumatic to have some students wear masks while others do not; causing half the class to feel isolated. I’ve worked in counseling students for many years and these are the conclusions my colleges and I have made. Thank you for keeping our children safe and uniformed.
MEV - 08/11/2021 09:55 PM
Mask mandates are cruel and unnecessary. Our kids desks have plexi glass (which is not even mandated), sit 6 ft apart and have to wear a mask. Yet our kids take off their masks to eat lunch and snacks. So how does this all make logical sense? If plexi glass remains on their desks, then masks should NOT be mandated. Masks have caused more harm with our children from many standpoints (psychologically and developmentally). The reality is that no matter what the ADOM does, there will be people agreeing and disagreeing with your decision on the mask mandates at our schools. Therefore, why can’t there be a ‘happy medium’ that if kids sit behind a plexi glass, no mask is needed?
Patricio Barreiro - 08/11/2021 09:23 PM
COVID post low to no risk to Kids, that is just a fact and has nothing to do with politics. In the other hand creating policy ignoring real life and undisputed information is wrong and more so if you are pretending to know what is better for our kids than us parents. Mask being optional is the correct approach, when you think about it if masks work then parents can make the decision to encourage their children to use mask and be protected without forcing other kids to use a mask. It true that “ Common sense is not so common”
Melissa Nieto - 08/11/2021 09:20 PM
I respectfully disagree with your mask policy. Children have little to no risk for having complications from covid. Where as masking can cause psychological, social and physical harm in there formative years. Masking a child should be a parental choice and never the choice of the Archdiocese of Miami. Last year children wore the mask for their grandparents and parents. They wore the mask for their teachers. It is time we place our children first!
DJG - 08/09/2021 11:25 PM
If any person comes to an informed judgment that he or she should receive or not receive a vaccine, that person should follow their conscience, and they should not be penalized for doing so. We encourage any individual seeking exemption to consult their employer or school. The Colorado Catholic Conference also has a letter template available to be signed by pastors of the Faithful if a Catholic wants a written record that they are seeking exemption on religious grounds. Sincerely, Most Reverend Samuel J. Aquila Archbishop of Denver Most Reverend Stephen J. Berg Bishop of Pueblo Most Reverend James R. Golka Bishop of Colorado Springs Most Reverend Jorge Rodriguez Auxiliary Bishop of Denver [https://denvercatholic.org/a-letter-from-the-bishops-of-colorado-on-covid-19-vaccine-mandates/]
Lilly Rangel-Diaz - 08/08/2021 11:17 AM
Your Excellency, we applaud you for this decision. It is indeed a fact that "much of the discussions around vaccinations and whether to wear or not wear a facial mask has unfortunately been politicized." Thank you for following the American Academy of Pediatrics and the CDC in making policy decisions that benefit all of us, parishioners and school families. Your pastoral oversight, putting parishioners and families first, is much appreciated. May God bless you and protect you always and may the Lord have mercy on all of us, may we see the end of this pandemic soon for the greater glory of God! With our gratitude and our continued prayers.
Harry Anderson - 08/06/2021 06:51 PM
With cases accelerating among the ages of 12 and under, and the long-term affects of Covid not being fully understood, it is prudent to protect all children from this highly transmissible virus. Until there is on option between vaccines and masks for the younger kids, some type of mask mandate is necessary to ensure the maximum level of safety possible. This plan is rational and fair in its approach.
Lasa - 08/06/2021 05:58 PM
I am really disappointed with this mask mandate for kids. Please make it optional! Parents should be able to weigh these risks and decide what is best for our children. This virus is proven to not be deadly for children and now all people who want to protect themselves have had the opportunity to get vaccinated. Unmask our kids! This is detrimental to their social development, speech development and may even be hazardous to their health. Most adom schools have kids desks covered in plexiglass so wearing a mask indoors as well is overkill. Please make it optional!!

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